The order of operations in math-- Parentheis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction

In 6th grade, we had a sign on the wall of our classroom that said PEMDAS, but when we asked what it meant, the teacher said it meant Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally, and she would tell us more later.... needless to say, four months into the school year when she finally DID tell us, it was a letdown.